Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

Chapter 832: Chapter 356: Dinner Party

At night, Gao Gong and the bionic butler arrived as agreed at their neighbor’s door, and the bionic butler rang the doorbell.

From the half-open window, one could vaguely see quite a few figures inside the standalone villa. This Professor Yi Yun seemed to have a wide network of acquaintances.

Soon, Yi Yun and Madam Yi Yun appeared at the door. Compared to the last meeting, Madam Yi’s face had obviously grown plumper, and her abdomen was round, indeed showing signs of pregnancy.

”Welcome, welcome.”

”Welcome, both of you.”

Gao Gong signaled the butler to deliver the prepared gifts. To everyone’s surprise, the butler had prepared a stack of baby clothes and earnestly said, ”They are made from the best materials on the market, suitable for babies of any size.”

”You are so considerate,” Madam Yi said with a smile.

”Please come in, please come in.”

”Madam seems a bit different from before,” Gao Gong said casually while observing the setup environment.

”Hmm, after getting pregnant, I seem to have gained quite a bit of weight. I didn’t expect bionics to have such troubles too. Well, this is probably the cost of nurturing life.”

”Bionic?” Gao Gong looked at Madam Yi with a peculiar gaze, ”You are a bionic?”

Madam Yi seemed to not understand Gao Gong’s words and said with a smile, ”I’m just a housewife; everything should be with my husband.”

”Yes, two strokes of a pen can’t write ’Yi’.” [Note: a Chinese saying indicating shared identity or kinship]

The living room was already set for a dinner party, with a dozen pairs of bionics talking and chatting. Yi Yun ordered something to his butler, then approached Gao Gong and said:

”Come, Brother Gao, let me introduce my friend. This is ’TE421’, a well-known bionic surgery doctor in the industry.”

”What a coincidence, I’m also a Prosthetic Doctor.”

Gao Gong, in public, was a Prosthetic Doctor employed by the Ghost in the Shell Mobile Division.

”Hello,” TE421 displayed a standard smile.

Yi Yun enthusiastically introduced, ”Mr. Gao is not only a Prosthetic Doctor but also works in the Ghost in the Shell Mobile Division. His professional skills are no less than yours.”

TE421 paused, the prosthetic eye once again scanned the surrounding, performing facial recognition. Soon, a red alert sounded in his view—

’Personnel from a special agency, please stop searching, stop searching, or a Level 2 charge will be placed against you.’

”Hello, nice to meet you!” TE421 immediately activated his social module. Prosthetic Doctors in the black market and those employed by Ghost in the Shell Mobile Division were two entirely different things. The former merely replaced limbs for struggling mercenaries, while the latter were likely associated with some prominent figures.

”Hello,” Gao Gong smiled, ”The T-E series, right? T is the newest model, E-type bionics are professional bionics, number 421, indicating you were among the earliest research-type bionics, impressive.”

TE421 showed a slightly human-like smirk, ”The update and iteration of bionics are getting faster and faster now. Those born earlier have to spend big money to buy the latest bionic modules, while later-produced bionics naturally have such talent. It’s truly enviable.”

”But you possess the experience and knowledge that newcomers don’t have,” Gao Gong praised.

”I heard some bionic groups are acquiring memory modules from advanced bionics. Once the acquisition is completed, it’s feared that newcomers will reach a new level.”

”Tsk, that’s really unfortunate.”

Every kind of social form is subjected to the impacts of the technological revolution. This is the case for humans, and it seems to be even more serious for bionics since they can be mass-produced.

The two didn’t chat much before Gao Gong intentionally steered the conversation back to Madam Yi.

”Forgive my short knowledge. It’s the first time I’ve learned that bionics can 100% simulate natural people in terms of the reproductive system.”

TE421 immediately displayed a proud smile, saying: ”This is research within our small circle and has not yet been disclosed. I believe, once the experimental results are published, it will surely shock the entire world.”

”What’s the difference between bionic babies and some mass-produced bionics?”

”There’s a big difference. They will become the bionics of the new era. Without a personality chip, they can automatically generate a personality. Without learning, they can master the experiences of both parents simultaneously. Moreover, their life form will surpass all models of bionics.”

”I’m finding it a bit hard to understand.”

A cat’s meow interrupted their conversation. Professor Yi Yun came over holding the Jade Cat, smiling and saying, ”During this time, as I’ve been taking care of my wife, I’ve had to leave this little guy cooped up in the room. Now, finally, I can let it out.”

Yi Yun put down the cat and said, ”Come, Mr. Gao, let me introduce some other friends to you.”

”Alright,” Gao Gong responded with enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, the Jade Cat’s eyes flashed with a trace of human-like light, and when others were not paying attention, it quickly snuck up to the third floor. As expected, the third floor was empty, with no one around. Then, the Jade Cat’s claws suddenly turned into human hands and pressed onto the ground. Hands and feet began to morph simultaneously, eventually transforming into the appearance of Madam Yi.

A-level Alien Bloodline System Alien Form: ’Extract’ a human body system and ’replace’ it with another biological system at the cost of energy.

Note: As an interstellar traveler, explorer, civilization researcher, or just a passerby, you’re bound to find the vast taboos and rules among civilized races overwhelming. Temporary ’system replacement’ allows you to integrate into civilized society more quickly. Some interesting abilities of certain civilized races might benefit you for life.

Note 2: Taboo one: Only same-level replacements are allowed. Do not ’replace’ higher-level alien systems, as this is very likely to lead to the collapse of the human body system. Taboo two: Ascension civilization prohibits replacements—strictly forbidden! Strictly forbidden!

Through Madam Yi’s cells, Gao Gong temporarily ’replaced’ into Madam Yi.

Pupil lock, password lock, fingerprint lock—all three locks opened simultaneously.

’Madam Yi’, disguised by Gao Gong, once again saw that glass case, covered with cloth, which was Professor Yi’s hobby.

’Madam Yi’ gently lifted the glass cover, and a faint odor of corpses wafted out. Another Madam Yi lay naked inside the glass case, her body covered in maggots, looking like a writhing insect blanket.

’Madam Yi’ moved to one side of the glass cabinet and saw that at the center of the real Madam Yi’s head was a small hole the size of a fingertip, with clear interface marks.

”Was it murder or voluntary consciousness transformation?”

Theoretically, both were possible.

...

Meanwhile, under Yi Yun’s introduction, Gao Gong met many bionics. They were mainly elites from various industries, including biological bionics, neuroscience, prosthetic development, brain modification, and even financial experts.

The financial expert had a somewhat peculiar expression upon seeing Gao Gong.

”Are you Ms. Rose’s... friend?” the financial expert whispered suddenly when others were not paying attention.

”No, we just had a few monetary and physical transactions,” Gao Gong replied earnestly.

When the atmosphere was primed, Yi Yun tapped his wine glass and prepared to say something. Suddenly, Madam Yi beside him exhibited a painful expression.

”It seems your lady is about to give birth!” a female bionic specializing in prosthetic body maintenance suddenly said.

Yi Yun was momentarily stunned, then quickly activated his logic module, ”Please, everyone, clear a space, butler, summon the household robot, and Mr. Gao, TE421, please come over and lend a hand.”

Gao Gong also hesitated, thinking, ”I’m a Prosthetic Doctor, not a delivery specialist!”